A deformable toothbrush is described in International Patent Application No. PCT/AU91/00257 incorporated herein by reference. The deformable toothbrush described in that specification comprises an elongated handle part, a head part and a neck part joining the handle part and head part. The head part has bristles projecting from at least one side thereof and at least one region of the head part is weakened to allow deformation in the head part to suit the shape of the user's dental arches.
To date, deformation of the weakened region(s) of the toothbrush described in International Patent Application No. PCT/AU91/00257 has been done by differential hand or finger pressure applied by the user on both sides of the weakened region(s).
Conventionally, the bristles of most new toothbrushes have all been at a single height so as to offer a level upper bristle surface or brushing platform to all the teeth of all users.
Obviously, a toothbrush having a uniform bristle height may not suit all users since it will not take into account the peculiar size and shape of the user's teeth and dental arches.
More recently, some toothbrushes have been designed with a contoured brushing platform, primarily by having a series of shorter bristles in the middle of the brushing platform. The depression so produced in the middle of the brushing platform is intended to provide a more snug brushing action against the teeth.
However, these contoured bristle toothbrushes have the contour of their brushing platform predetermined before purchase and so will only suit :some users whose tooth shape and dental arches conform to the predetermined contour.